SWOOP CENTRAL
SPOT CHECKS REVEAL SERIOUS ISSUES AMONG SOME SLOUGH TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES
Shocking numbers of Slough taxi and private hire vehicles have been found to have “serious issues” during spot checks including one driver with no licence.
Slough Borough Council officers teamed up with Thames Valley Police to
conduct random
inspections on the borough’s licensed fleet. Half of the ten vehicles checked were
found to have issues,
including one with an unlicensed and uninsured driver.
The vehicle in question was seized by Thames Valley Police and the licence suspended. Others included two drivers who were
given points on their
private hire drivers’ licences for failing to display their badges. Cllr Puja Bedi, lead member for transport, housing, highways, the environment, said: “It is so disappointing to
during these random vehicle stop checks, a high number of the taxis and minicabs stopped had serious issues.
hear that
“It is particularly shocking that one driver was unlicensed and uninsured when people trust these drivers with their safety. “Thank you to the licensing team and to Thames Valley Police for their continued hard work to keep our roads safe.” In addition, one driver was cautioned by police for speeding and one vehicle was found to be displaying an expired licence in spite of an application being made and a new plate being issued.
JOINT ENFORCEMENT IN STRATFORD AS NUMBERS OF WOLVERHAMPTON LICENSED PHVS INCREASE
Licensed taxi drivers in Stratford- upon-Avon are up in arms after a sudden influx of Uber drivers from Wolverhampton. Fifteen PHVs licensed by the City of Wolverhampton Council (CoW) were recorded in Strat- ford-upon-Avon in just one night. A joint operation involving Stratford District Council’s (SDC) licensing team and the CoW’s Compliance
Department was
undertaken after concerns were raised about the increase in Uber drivers during the summer months.
Of the Uber drivers who were stopped on Saturday July 15, four were reported for re-inspection and two were
given the
appropriate advice about breaching Wolverhampton’s
48
vehicle licence conditions. Lorraine Grocott, SDC’s environ- mental and neighbourhood services boss, said: “This partner- ship working with other licensing authorities shows our commitment to ensure drivers and vehicles that are licensed maintain the highest standards. “It’s not illegal for vehicles licensed by other authorities to operate across our district. And although the district council doesn’t license any Ubers operating in the district, they operate as private hire vehicles which must be pre-booked via the vehicle’s operators with an agreed price. Failure to be pre- booked invalidates the driver’s insurance.” “Taxis are a vital service and are a
huge support to the night-time economy,” Cllr Grocott added. “SDC’s standard of vehicle and driver is high. A robust system of licensing and checks keeps it at the standard required by this authority.” Cllr Craig Collingswood, CoW’s environment and climate change chief, said: “We expect drivers and vehicles licensed by us to
always maintain the
highest standards, irrespective of the administrative boundary within which they are operating at any particular time. “CoW takes its enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country,
every Friday and
Saturday night, working to protect the public.”
SEPTEMBER 2023 PHTM
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